أَلَمdid ... not? تَسأَلِyou ask الرَبعَthe campsite أَنto يَنطِقاspeak
أَلَم تَسأَلِ الرَبعَ أَن يَنطِقا
بِقَرنِat Qarn المَنازِلِal-Manazil قَدalready أَخلَقاhas grown worn
بِقَرنِ المَنازِلِ قَد أَخلَقا
Did you not ask the campsite to speak,
Did you not ask the pasture to speak
at Qarn al-Manazil, now worn with age?
Of the abode it created with the stars' cycle?
دِيارَthe dwellings of الَّتيher who تَيَّمَتenslaved عَقلَهُhis mind
دِيارَ الَّتي تَيَّمَت عَقلَهُ
فَياso, oh لَيتَهُif only he غَيرَهاsomeone other than her عُلِّقاwere enamored
فَيا لَيتَهُ غَيرَها عُلِّقا
The dwellings of her who enslaved his mind—
The home that captivated his mind -
oh, if only he had been enamored of someone other than her!
If only it were someone else he clung to!
وَكَيفَand how طِلابيmy pursuit عَراقيَّةًan Iraqi woman
وَكَيفَ طِلابي عَراقيَّةً
وَقَدand already جاوَزَتhas passed عيرُهاher caravan الحِرنِقاal-Hirniq
وَقَد جاوَزَت عيرُها الحِرنِقا
And how can I pursue an Iraqi woman,
How can my yearnings be for Iraq
when her caravan has already passed al-Hirniq?
When its caravans have crossed Al-Harniq?
تَؤُمُّhead toward الحُداةُthe camel-drivers بِهاwith her مَنزِلاًa dwelling
تَؤُمُّ الحُداةُ بِها مَنزِلاً
مِنَof الطَفِّal-Taff ذاpossessing بَهجَةٍsplendor مونِقاdelightful
مِنَ الطَفِّ ذا بَهجَةٍ مونِقا
The camel-drivers head with her toward a dwelling
The young camels yearn for it as a halt
in al-Taff, splendid and delightful.
With delightful beauty while travelling.
وَكَيفَand how طِلابُكَyour pursuit أَلّاnothing but الصِباyouthful longing
وَكَيفَ طِلابُكَ أَلّا الصِبا
وَغَربَand the far reach of النَوىseparation بَلَداًa land مُسحَقاfar distant
وَغَربَ النَوى بَلَداً مُسحَقا
And how can you pursue her—mere youthful longing—
How can it be your yearnings, unless for youth,
when separation stretches to a far-off land?
And the days spent in a crumbled land?
وَلَوand if أَنَّهُthat he إِذwhen دَعاهُcalled him الصِباyouthful longing
وَلَو أَنَّهُ إِذ دَعاهُ الصِبا
إِلَيهاto her أَبَيrefused لَمnot يَكُنbe أَخرَقاfoolish
إِلَيها أَبَي لَم يَكُن أَخرَقا
And had he, when youthful longing called him
Had youth called him there when it did,
to her, refused, he would not have been foolish.
He would have refused, and not been torn.
وَلَكِنَّهُbut he قَرَّبَتهُdrew him near المُنىhopes
وَلَكِنَّهُ قَرَّبَتهُ المُنى
وَسيقَand he was driven إِلىto الحَينِdoom فَاِستَوسَقاand so he yielded
وَسيقَ إِلى الحَينِ فَاِستَوسَقا
But hopes drew him near,
But destiny brought him close,
and he was driven to doom, and so yielded.
And he was led to the spring to quench his thirst.
Sol 6.1